BDO Unibank is currently the largest bank in the Philippines. Backed by the Sy family-led SM Group, it holds the top spot in the country by total assets, customer loans, deposits and branch network. Recent industry reports show that its total assets exceed P5.5 trillion, keeping it comfortably ahead of other major competitors like BPI, Metrobank and LandBank.
PHOTOGRAPH courtesy of BDO
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BDO Unibank Inc. has shortened the offer period for its sixth peso-denominated ASEAN Sustainability Bond issuance after strong demand from both retail and institutional investors, closing the offering last Friday, 10 July, instead of its original 9 to 21 July schedule.
In a disclosure on Monday, the country’s largest lender said it is raising at least P5 billion through the bond offering, which carries a tenor of one-and-a-half years and a fixed coupon rate of 6.26 percent per annum.
The bonds are scheduled for issuance, settlement and listing on 28 July.
Strategy to expand sustainable financing
The issuance marks BDO’s sixth ASEAN Sustainability Bond offering and forms part of its broader strategy to expand sustainable financing while diversifying funding sources.
BDO said proceeds will be used to finance and/or refinance eligible assets under the bank’s Sustainable Finance Framework and support its lending activities.
The latest transaction is BDO’s second sustainability bond offering this year. In January, the bank raised P100 billion through a similar issuance, which was likewise met with strong investor demand and closed ahead of schedule.
Active sustainable finance issuers
Since launching its sustainability bond program in January 2022, BDO has raised a total of P386.7 billion through sustainability bond issuances, reinforcing its position as one of the country’s most active sustainable finance issuers.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has confirmed that the issuance complies with the ASEAN Sustainability Bond Standards.
